Is law our best ally to combat CO2 pollution?
Environment & Science ▼European Union
The Problem
Climate change is the most significant challenge facing our global community. How much carbon dioxide we release will decide how serious these impacts are. Burning coal is a major contributor. To protect the climate, coal’s share of global electricity supply must be cut to 2% by 2050. But governments in the EU hand out billions in subsidies to prop up coal every year. And coal’s toxic problems don’t end with climate change. It seeps poisonous heavy metals into our rivers and habitats. Mining destroys whole villages and the communities that built them. The polluting impacts of Europe’s coal habit stretch around the globe.
The Solution
Client Earth uses environmental laws to challenge highly polluting coal plants and force them either to invest to prevent pollution, or to shut down. They use State aid law – which governs subsidies – to challenge governments that prop up unprofitable coal companies with taxpayers’ money. They use energy markets laws to promote the transition to an energy system based on renewables and other clean tech – and which no longer relies on coal. They hold regular breakfast briefings at 41 Portland Place involving panels of lawyers exploring approaches to wider environmental challenges such as the environmental impacts of Brexit, access to justice, and working with forested communities in Africa. If you are interested, click on count me in.
Why Walk The Talk supports ClientEarth
ClientEarth is a leading environmental law NGO, and the UK’s ‘most effective environmental organisation’ according to a study by the Environmental Funders Network. If you would like to give and support ClientEarth actions to encourage governments to enforce environmental laws, please do so below. 100% of your donations will go to Client Earth via Walk the Talk.
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Karla Hill
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Karla Hill is ClientEarth’s director of programmes, in which role she coordinates strategy and activities across our Climate, Energy and Trade programmes. Before joining ClientEarth, she held roles in the climate and energy team of the Sustainable Development Commission and in the UK government. She also practised environmental and public law. Karla is admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales and as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
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